without getting into a DSM-IV debate, the practical elements of these viewsare eliminating the "crutch" associated with the disease concept, and realizing we have the power within ourselves to identify and correct the habits and behaviors that lead to addiction.

I now understand the value of exercise,socializing, performing community serviceand goal setting, when seeking recovery.

there is so much more than just stayingaway from a drink or drug; it's livingup to one's potential, remainingresponsible, accountable and reliable.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Pamela Bach Sentenced 90 Days in DUI CasePamela Bach, ex-wife of actor David Hasselhoff, has been sentenced to 90 days in jail after pleading no contest to a drunken driving charge from November. She received 60 of those days in jail because she was on probation for a previous DUI offense when she was arrested in November with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.14.

Cameron Douglas Sentenced to Five YearsFacing an alleged 10-year "mandatory" sentence of 10 years in federal prison for trafficking large amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine, Cameron Douglas, son of actor Michael Douglas, was sentenced to only five years by U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman. The sentence came after many of Douglas' famous relatives wrote letters supporting a lesser sentence.

Corey Dillon Arrested For Drunk DrivingCorey Dillion, former New England Patriots running back, was arrested in Malibu, California on suspicion of drunk driving. Police said when they stopped him for driving too slow, Dillion exhibited "multiple symptoms of being under the influence."

Mexican Drug Kingpin Sentenced in OregonThe Mexican leader of one of the biggest methamphetamine-producing organizations in Oregon has been sentenced to 30 years behind bars. Jorge Ortiz-Oliva, 40, was the boss behind three meth "super labs" and dozens of marijuana grow operations, according to investigators.

Different Sentences for Repeat Drunk DriversAn Indiana judge may have some explaining to do concerning two recent sentences he handed down. A male driver with five previous convictions was given four years in jail, while a female defendant with three previous drunk driving convictions, was given probation and had her charge reduced to a misdemeanor.

Liquor Commissioner Charged With Drunk DrivingRichard Simard was charged with drunk driving after he was stopped by police for driving erratically and he failed a field sobriety test. Simard, who refused to take a breath test, is one of New Hampshire's state liquor commissioners.

Previous Headlines

Willie Nelson's Band Members Face ChargesSaying famous people are not above the law, a North Carolina prosecutor is pursuing charges against six members of Willie Nelson's band on drug and alcohol offenses. The charges stem from a search of the band's bus in January in which police seized substances which are being tested at the state crime lab. Nelson was not on the bus at the time.

Girlicious Singer Pleads Not Guilty to Cocaine ChargeNatalie Nicole Mejia, a member of the pop music group Girlicious, has entered a not guilty plea to charges of possession of cocaine with intent to sell. Mejia was arrested in March with a dozen bags of cocaine in her purse during a traffic stop. She claimed she didn't know how the drugs got into her Gucci bag.

Kentucky Assistant Coach Charged With DUIFor University of Kentucky assistant basketball coach Rod Strickland, failing several roadside sobriety tests after being stopped for running a red light was not a new experience. It turns out Strickland has had three previous drunk driving arrests. He was also charged with failure to maintain insurance and improper registration.

Drunk Granny Wrecks Car With Kids in BackseatA Tennessee woman is facing nine different charges after she crashed her car in Memphis. The problem for Sharon Kimbrough was not that she wrecked her car, but she was drinking and had three grandchildren - ages 3, 2 and 1 - unbuckled in the backseat at the time.

Third-Grader Gives Out Heroin at SchoolPolice have arrested the mother of an 8-year-old who had 80 bags of heroin in his backpack at school. Police may not have found the small baggies, stamped with the words "Trust Me" on them, except the third-grader was handing them out to his friends at school.

Man Sets Home Ablaze With Pot BongIf you want to clean your marijuana bong, you might not want to do so by soaking it with alcohol and setting it on fire. That was what a New Mexico man tried when he set his mobile home on fire. He was arrested when an off-duty deputy saw him driving away from the burning trailer

Saturday, April 24, 2010

the method of treatment that focuses onhelping someone learn and use newthinking skills to modify negative behavior.

it is comprised of both cognitive(pertaining to the mental processes ofperception, memory, judgment, and reasoning),and behavioral factors.

the stratagies of the therapy are to uncoverirrational and problematic thinking modesthat often accompany psycholgical distress.

basically, how you think is how you feel.the goal is to challenge and change negative,self-defeating thoughts.

behavioral techniques work along the premisethat maladaptive behavires are learned, andcan be unlearned as well.the tools used are training in assertiveness,relaxation and desensitivation to feared objects.

together, cognitive and behavioral strategiescreate a balanced approach to understandingand treating common life problems.

by examining how we view ourselves andour enviornment, the goal is to effect positiveand lasting change through modification ofmaladaptive thoughts or behaviors.

our feelings are influenced by the ways weview life events.by changing these thoughts, one can changeresulting feelings as well.

Monday, April 5, 2010

.Anais Nin: Dreams pass into the reality of action. From the actions stems the dream again; and this interdependence produces the highest form of living

.Benjamin Franklin: Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that the stuff life is made of.

Buddha: If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change

.Carl Jung: There are as many nights as days, and the one is just as long as the other in the year's course. Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness, and the word 'happy' would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness.

Eleanor Roosevelt: I think somehow we learn who we really are and then live with that decision.

Franklin P. Jones: Love doesn't make the world go 'round; love is what makes the ride worthwhile.

Henry James: Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living, and your belief will help create the fact.

Joan Baez: You don't get to choose how you're going to die. Or when. You can only decide how you're going to live.

.John F. Kennedy: As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.

Marcus Aurelius: The universe is transformation; our life is what our thoughts make it.

Norman MacEwan: Happiness is not so much in having as sharing. We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.

Robert Byrne: The purpose of life is a life of purpose.

Robert Louis Stevenson: To be what we are, and to become what we are capable of becoming, is the only end of life.